Jessica Pegula secured her place in the final of the Hana Bank Korea Open after she defeated Yanina Wickmayer 6-4, 6-3. This marks the second WTA final that the World No. 4 has reached in the last two weeks.

The American flew past Viktória Hrunčáková and Ashlyn Krueger in straight sets before overcoming a three-set battle with Claire Liu to set up the semi-final clash with the World No. 71. 

Pegula started out strong, building up three break points on Wickmayer's first service game. However, the Belgian player fought back to take it to a deuce, from where she was able to hold.

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Pegula fights on to secure break

Pegula then uncharacteristically committed two consecutive double faults in her next service game, meaning it was now her turn to save and hold. The players went back and forth for a while until the 29-year-old was finally able to secure the first break at the eighth time of asking in the ninth game of the opening set.

Following this, she served for the set and secured it after a long backhand from Wickmayer on the crucial point.

Pegula started the second set looking determined and confident, breaking Wickmayer in her very first service game. The 33-year-old was then able to build up two break points of her own in Pegula's first service game but was unable to successfully convert them.

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Eventually, the American secured a double break to give her a resounding lead as the match drew to a close. While Wickmayer was ultimately able to break back once, she could not catch up to Pegula, who won the match in straight sets and booked her spot in the final.

This comes just two weeks after she reached the Toray Pan Pacific Open final in Tokyo, where she finished as runner-up to Veronika Kudermetova.